In 2004, the government introduced the reform that same-sex couples could enter into a civil partnership offering greater legal protection and financial security. In 2013, the government introduced that same-sex couples would be able to get married in the UK.
In June 2018, a landmark appeal made by Rebecca Steinfeld and Charles Keidan at the Supreme court, was won, entitling mixed-sex couples to enter into civil partnerships.
Over the course of four years, the couple demanded that the law recognise the requirement for mixed-sex couples be allowed to enter a civil partnership, offering them the same protection and financial security currently applicable in same-sex relationships.
The Supreme Court unanimously ruled in favour of mixed-sex couple’s having access to civil partnership as an alternative to the legal recognition provided by marriage. The court said that the Civil Partnership Act 2004 was in breach of the European Convention on Human Rights.
There are currently 3.3 million couples out of a total of 19 million, in the UK who are unmarried and half of those families have children.
Theresa May said that reforms will provide opposite-sex couples to have greater legal recognition and security in their relationships and therefore, greater financial security for their children.
When couples enter into a marriage they get certain financial entitlements that those who are not married or in a civil partnership have access to. Those benefits include Inheritance Tax, marriage income tax allowance, pension transfers to widowed and inheritance of their partner’s estate and home upon death.
When couples are not married they do not automatically benefit from these financial entitlements that married couples and those in civil partnerships are afforded. Therefore, this can and does leave respective partners and their children at financial risk.
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Ramsdens Solicitors can help with all aspects of marriage. Contact us today to discuss prenuptial agreements, post-nuptial agreements, civil partnership agreements or any other aspect of marriage with our family law team.
Call our family helpline on 08000 147720, send us an email or text LAW to 67777 to book a free information session at any of our offices. We also offer early morning and late evening appointments across our offices.